Leek

I leave the roots on the leeks until after cooking, so they don't fall apart. Just wash and trim beforehand.

The leeks are cooked until they're so tender — or "melted" — that they almost fall apart.

Serve these mussels with a frisée salad dressed with red wine vinaigrette. Add french fries, plus a baguette for sopping up the sauce. Lemon tart would be good for dessert. See how to clean mussels.

We recommend using the freshest watercress possible — if not at its best, it can give the sauce a slightly bitter taste. (Try hydroponic watercress; it's generally better than conventionally grown supermarket cress.) Tanis suggests skimming all the fat from the cooking liquid and serving the broth as a first-course soup, garnished with toasted slices of French bread.

This recipe was inspired by stoemp, a Belgian dish of mashed potatoes with vegetables.

Star anise has been showing up all over restaurant menus lately, even in seafood dishes. This light and lively first course was inspired by such recipes.

This rib-sticking soup makes a fine meal, especially with a salad alongside. See how to dice potatoes.

"On my last birthday, I enjoyed a special dinner at Brasserie Le Coze in Atlanta," says Diane Sullivan of Alpharetta, Georgia. "The entire meal was fabulous, but the white bean soup with truffle oil was absolutely divine." White truffle oil, should you happen to have a bottle of it, is a delicious "garnish" for this rich and hearty soup.

In addition to the fried parsnip the executive chef at Ashford Castle, Denis Lenihan, often adorns this soup with a poached carved apple.

NORMANDY In Normandy, this richly flavored stew would be served with a composed salad of watercress, shallots, and roasted beets. What to drink: Muscadet, Chablis, or unoaked Chardonnay.

Of course, you must have toasted bagels with this. Spinach salad with apple cider dressing would be nice on the side, and warm cherry strudel is a fine finish.

This unusual Iranian stew is served hot at the table from the casserole in which it has been cooked. The lid is lifted, and the delicious aromas of rich tender lamb, fresh herbs, spinach and beans fill the room. Serve with rice or orzo.

This is a delicate, light-tasting soup.

Wild striped bass is an incredible delicacy on the order of wild king salmon. To complement its robust flavor and steak-like texture, we serve it with a beautiful and aggressive squid vinaigrette. This is not a dish for people who are on the fence about eating fish.

Try serving this on toast points for an appetizer or a first course.